My Journey of Learning and Teaching Mathematics from Traditionalism to Constructivism: A Portrayal of Pedagogic Metamorphosis

Belbase, Shashidhar

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This dissertation depicts my paradigmatic shift from traditionalist approach to constructivist approach of teaching and learning of mathematics. I have used autoethnography as the genre of writing and research that connects the personal to the cultural placing the self within a social context (Reed-Danahay, 1997). Employing autoethnography, I have studied my experiences as a mathematics learner, teacher, educator and researcher and how these informed my pedagogical practices and knowledge as a school teacher and an educator. As an Autoethnographer, I have presented my work in alternative textual forms such as layered accounts (Ellis & Bochner, 2000) with four criteria of writing--orientation, strength, depth, and richness (Van Manen, 1988)--to create pedagogical thoughtfulness and pedagogical wakefulness among the readers (Luitel & Taylor, 2003). I performed my narratives as poems, dramas, dialogues, and stories (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005). I have mentioned about triple crises, a triple threat, a triple crown of thorns: representation, legitimation and praxis in the research (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). I have also informed the research process and product with the rigor criteria. This study changed my belief about what is reality (ontology), my view on how to know the reality (epistemology) and accordingly what ways to adopt in order to make students understand the reality (pedagogy). My reflections and review of literatures formed the ground to change my ontological assumptions. Multilayered analytical and interpretive autoethnography in my cultural context enlightened me of what is knowledge and how knowledge is acquired. Evolution of teaching methodology from beginning of my teaching career to till the date I joined School of Education, Kathmandu University depicts layered and staged pedagogical metamorphosis. In brief, this study depicts how a conventional learner, teacher and educator turns into a transformative educator and researcher through confession on wrong practices and envisioning the better methods of teaching and learning for future. [M.Phil. Dissertation, Kathmandu University.]